August 22, 2023 |
Photo – Sage Grouse – by Stacey Jarrett of Bigfoot99
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is asking residents, especially landowners, to report dead sage-grouse so the birds can be tested for West Nile virus. While there are no signs of an outbreak, Game and Fish asks the public annually for reports to help in the management of the state’s sage-grouse populations.
Testing dead birds helps Game and Fish monitor the scope and impact of the disease across the state.
The public can help reduce mosquitoes and WNV by eliminating standing water in small receptacles like flower pots, discarded tires, small plastic swimming pools and wheelbarrows where mosquitoes tend to breed. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water and only take five to seven days to complete their life cycle.
WNV is spread by mosquitoes, and research shows sage-grouse have a low resistance to the virus, which is usually fatal to the birds. Evidence of the disease has been reported in past years in northeast Wyoming and in surrounding states.
